JPH0581552A - Merchandise monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To unnecessitate the confirming operation of the number of merchandise by a clerk by picture-processing the displayed state of the merchandise, and deciding the replenishing timing of the merchandise based on the time sequential change. CONSTITUTION:The displayed state of the merchandise in display racks 2a and 2b is picked up by monitor cameras 4a and 4b and the picture is analyzed by a work station 12 for a picture processing. And also, the replenishing timing of the merchandise is decided based on the time sequential change of the analyzed result, and the decided result is informed through informing equipments 13a and 13b to a pertinent department.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product monitoring system for monitoring whether or not display products in a distribution store should be replenished.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a large-scale distribution store such as a supermarket, so-called daily products such as fresh foods and milk are swiftly rotated, and unless a large number of products are displayed at all times, there will be an opportunity to sell them. Results in the loss of. For this reason, in a conventional distribution store, a clerk in charge of replenishment monitors the number of products displayed by patrolling the store, and if the number of displayed products is small, the product is replenished. Was there.

Further, although it is possible to know the sales amount and the delivery amount of each product by the POS system, the delivery amount and the product amount displayed in the store do not match in the case of a product having a large sales amount such as fresh food, Even in a store using such a POS system, the number of displayed products is confirmed by a clerk.

[0004]

However, as described above, the work of confirming the number of products displayed in the store by the store clerk is complicated and requires a large amount of manpower, which leads to a rise in labor costs and a confirmation error. In some cases, we could run out of stock, and we were unable to reliably prevent loss of sales opportunities.

An object of the present invention is to image the display state of merchandise at a store, judge the number of displayed merchandise based on the time-series change of the image, and based on the result of the judgment, replenishment timing of the merchandise. By not deciding the number of products, it is possible to reduce personnel costs by drastically reducing the number of products, and to reliably prevent loss of sales opportunities due to shortages. To provide.

[0006]

As shown in FIG. 1, a product monitoring system according to the present invention comprises an image pickup means for picking up an image of a display state of goods at a store, and an image processing means for analyzing an image picked up by the image pickup means. And a replenishment timing determining means for deciding the replenishment timing of the merchandise based on the time series change of the analysis result in the image processing means.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the display state of the product at the store is imaged by the imaging means, and the replenishment timing of the product is determined by the time-series change of the imaged image. Therefore, in the image captured by the image capturing means, the number of products displayed in the store is detected in comparison with the initial state when the store is opened, and when the number of products decreases by a certain amount, the notification that the products should be replenished is the replenishment timing. It is output from the determining means.
As a result, the replenishment timing of the product can be accurately determined without directly visiting the store to visually check the number of products.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation example of a commodity monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Display stands 2a, 2 provided in the store 1
The monitor cameras 4a and 4b are provided on the upper part of each of b ...
... is provided. This monitor camera 4a, 4b
A CCD camera can be used as the ... The monitor cameras 4a, 4b ... are display stands 2a, 2b.
The images displayed on each of the ... The images captured by the monitor cameras 4a and 4b are input to the image processing workstation 12 provided in the office 11. The image processing workstation analyzes the images captured by the monitor cameras 4a, 4b ...
Based on the analysis result, the data is output to the contact devices 13a, 13b, ...

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit of an image processing workstation which constitutes a part of the commodity monitoring system. RO to CPU 21 via internal bus 22
M23, RAM 24, image processing unit 25, display 2
6, a keyboard 27 and a mouse 28 are connected. The image processing unit 25 includes monitor cameras 4a, 4b ...
Are connected. Further, the CPU 21 is also connected to the communication devices 13a, 13b, ... The CPU 21 executes the processing operation according to the program written in the ROM 23 in advance. Image processing unit 2
Reference numeral 5 analyzes an image captured by the monitor cameras 4a, 4b ... In accordance with a processing instruction from the CPU 21. CPU
Reference numeral 21 displays the image data output from the monitor cameras 4a, 4b ... On the display 26 together with the analysis result. The CPU 21 uses the analysis result in the image processing unit 25 as R
It is temporarily stored in a predetermined memory area of the AM 24. RAM
24 together with this, keyboard 27 and mouse 2
The operation data of 8 are also stored. Based on the analysis result of the image processing unit 25, the CPU 21 determines the predetermined communication devices 13a and 13a.
Output the contact data to b ...

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the control unit of the image processing workstation. C
The PU 21 waits for the operation of the keyboard 27 and the mouse 28 by the operator and determines which of the setting mode and the operation mode is selected (n1, n2). When the setting mode is selected, the designation of the zone by the operation of the mouse 28 by the operator is accepted (n3), and the image processing of the zone designated in the image captured by the monitor cameras 4a, 4b ... n4). The monitor cameras 4a, 4b ..., For example, image the products displayed on the display stands 2a, 2b ... In the state shown in FIG. 5 (A), and display them in the designated zones 3a-3d. Measure the area of the exposed part of the base of the table.

Next, the product name and the signature of the contact portion when the product is out of stock are input from the keyboard 27 (n5) and stored in a predetermined memory area of the RAM 24 together with the background area which is the analysis result of the image processing unit 25 ( n6). As shown in FIG. 6, a part of the RAM 24 has a memory area for storing a zone number, a base area, a product name and a contact section signature for each zone. For example, for the zone 3a shown in FIG. Memory areas MA1 to MA4 are allocated, and memory areas MB1 to MB4 are allocated to zone 3b. The processes of n3 to n6 are executed for all zones (n7). The processing in the setting modes of n3 to n7 is executed when the store opens.

When the operation mode is selected by operating the keyboard 27 after the above setting processing is completed, the image processing is executed for the image currently taken by the monitor cameras 4a, 4b ... For the designated zone (n8). ). The background area, which is the analysis result of this image processing, is
It is compared with the initial base area stored in the memory area corresponding to the 24 designated zones (n9). In this comparison, if the base area is larger than a predetermined amount, it is determined that the number of displayed products has decreased, and the contact section signature is read from the memory area corresponding to the designated zone and installed in that department. Contact devices 13a, 13b
.. Outputs a supplement instruction to (n10, n11).

By the above processing, the monitor cameras 4a, 4b
... analyze the image data captured, determine the replenishment timing of the product based on the time-series change of the ground area, which is the analysis result, and output the replenishment command to the department that should replenish the product. You can

The processes of n8 to n11 may be automatically performed at regular time intervals.

[0016]

According to the present invention, it is possible to analyze the image of the display state of products taken by the imaging means and determine the replenishment timing of the products based on the time-series change. This makes it possible to reduce the labor cost and eliminate the loss of sales opportunities due to shortages.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation example of a product monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit of an image processing workstation that constitutes a part of the product monitoring system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a control unit of the image processing workstation.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image captured by an image capturing means in the product monitoring system.

FIG. 6 is an RA included in the image processing workstation.
3 is a memory map of a main part of M.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-Store 2a, 2b-Display stand 4a, 4b-Monitor camera (imaging means) 12-Workstation for image processing

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for picking up an image of a display state of a commodity, an image processing means for analyzing an image picked up by the image pickup means, and a replenishment timing of the commodity is determined based on a time series change of an analysis result of the image processing means. A replenishment timing determining means, and a commodity monitoring system.